Foreign Policy
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Ukraine drone strikes hit Yandex, Sberbank and VKontakte data centres causing widespread disruptions
Ukraine launched drone attacks this month against three key data centres belonging to Yandex, Sberbank, and VKontakte. On October 8, drones hit a Yandex centre in Sasovo; Kaluga was struck October 9, and Vladimir on October 11. Sberbank's hub was hit October 14 in Balakovo, followed by a VKontakte centre in St. Petersburg. These strikes caused widespread disruptions to banking, e-commerce, and AI development.
Marco Rubio says Elon Musk controls Starlink access, not the White House
Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, stated on Wednesday that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk controls Starlink access, not the White House. While The Wall Street Journal reported Musk ordered a slowdown of Starshield, Reuters and Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed the White House was responsible. Serhii Beskrestnov said a 160 kilometres per hour limit disrupted drone missions until October 15.
CSI 300 Index falls 1.6% as sentiment weighs on weak consumption and fading stimulus
On Thursday (October 22), the CSI 300 Index fell as much as 1.6 per cent, marking a 20 per cent drop from its June peak into bear-market territory. A gauge for Hong Kong-listed companies dropped 2.9 per cent. Contemporary Amperex Technology shares fell 12 per cent on Wednesday. Abhishek Bhilwaria of BhilwariaFinserv told NDTV that weak consumption and fading stimulus hopes weigh on sentiment.
Macron dismisses Trump's "stupid comments" linking migration to French unrest
Donald Trump claimed at the White House on Monday that migration caused French unrest, but Emmanuel Macron dismissed these as "stupid comments" during a visit in Qatar. Following riots where over 2,000 people were detained, JD Vance and Peter Magyar linked violence to immigration. Conversely, Sebastien Lecornu, Marine Le Pen, and Donald Tusk addressed the disorder.
Netanyahu faces Gadi Eisenkot and rivals in Israel's general election this Tuesday
Israel's general election occurs Tuesday 27 October. Incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu faces Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar Party, alongside Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan. The Knesset has 120 seats; a majority requires 61. Issues include security failures from 7 October, judicial reform, and cost of living. Official results are scheduled for 4 November.
Russia reportedly offered to mediate nuclear deal between Washington and Tehran
Sergey Lavrov visited Iran this week to meet Masoud Pezeshkian, following meetings with Vladimir Putin on September 1 and October 8. Russia reportedly offered to mediate a nuclear deal between Washington and Tehran. Leveraging Rosatom expertise and the 2025 Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Putin recently delivered an Iranian proposal to Donald Trump regarding denuclearization.
Russian strikes hit Kyiv after Witkoff meets Putin
Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin at Constantine Palace on Wednesday to discuss ending the war. Russia released Stephen Hubbard, prompting Donald Trump to delay sanctions and praise Putin. Ukraine launched 630 drones, killing one and injuring 22 in Kyiv. Conversely, Russian strikes damaged the Pivdenny Bridge. Andrii Sybiha warned that "appeasement" will not stop Russia's campaign.
Sanjay Budhia urges exporters to engage New Zealand buyers following duty-free trade pact
Sanjay Budhia, CII National Committee on Exports Chairman and Patton International Ltd. Managing Director, urged exporters and MSMEs to engage New Zealand buyers following the October 20 free trade agreement. The pact provides duty-free access across all tariff lines, removing up to 10% tariffs on engineering goods, textiles, leather, and footwear. It also streamlines SPS and TBT procedures to reduce compliance costs for various industries.
TPCI and UKIBC sign MoU to boost food processing trade after CETA tariff removals
On October 22, 2026, the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) and U.K.-India Business Council (UKIBC) signed a strategic MoU to boost food processing trade. Following the July 15 Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which removed tariffs on shrimp, instant coffee, and processed foods, Mohit Singla noted India's $309.5 million share of Britain’s $50.68 billion annual imports is only 0.6%.
Supreme Council for Popular Resistance launches campaign to equip 10,000 fighters with weapons
Since Houthi forces launched a ground offensive in early September, surrounding the city of Taiz, women volunteers like Amira al-Saghir, Huriya Wabel, and Khadija al-Majidi transitioned from baking cookies to raising funds for weapons. On October 8, the Supreme Council for Popular Resistance launched a campaign to equip 10,000 fighters with rifles and ammunition valued at $3,000 or more.
Palestinian citizens fear Netanyahu and far-right bloc ahead of October 27 general election
On October 27, Palestinian citizens of Israel will vote in the general election. Laila Atamneh, Hanan, and experts like As’ad Ghanem and Thabet Abu Rass highlight fears regarding Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right bloc. While Ra’am and the Joint List could be kingmakers, leaders like Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot have expressed reluctance to partner with them.
Netanyahu faces voters as Lapid accuses government of seeking to whitewash Oct 7 failures
Benjamin Netanyahu faces voters on October 27 regarding the October 7, 2023 attack, which killed over 1,200 people. Challenger Gadi Eisenkot demands an independent commission, while Yair Lapid accuses the government of seeking to whitewash failures. Issues include manpower shortages, ultra-Orthodox exemptions, and a doubled defense budget amidst high costs of living. The INSS notes Israel now lives permanently by the sword.
